Musical Memories

Tonight I spent some time with my inner child. I pulled out old cd’s from some of my favorite musicals and danced around my living room singing along at the top of my lungs as if I was Annie, Sandra D, and Selena. I just let myself get lost in the musical . . . in the illusion of it all; like I did when I was a kid. It was fun; I laughed at myself and old memories and danced with my dog (who started hyperventilating from all of the excitement – oops, sorry Ajah).

And then I put in a few of my favorite CD’s from 1994 and I was amazed. After almost 10 years of not listening to any of the songs on these CD’s, I still remembered every single word of all my favorite songs. It struck me as odd that I would remember this so vividly. My memory didn’t stop with just the music; I remembered intricate details of the location that I first heard these songs and the events that were taking place in my life at that point in my history. Memories so vivid that I could actually close my eyes and feel as though I was there, experiencing it all again.

Music has a magical ability to weave together the past and the present. It doesn’t stay static like a photograph, but changes as life moves on. It wraps around your heart and warms your soul, allowing you to smile at the past while moving forward in the present moments of your life. It’s a rare gift to be treasured.

“Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory.” ~Oscar Wilde

May you be blessed, be healthy, and be inspired!

Passion & Purpose

“It is my heart’s desire to Inspire Hope through singing and writing so that others can overcome their obstacles and live a life of freedom and joy.” – Mandy Anderson

It is both satisfying and confusing to finally discover your passion and purpose in life. Satisfying because in the blink of an eye the clouds disperse and a bright ray of sunshine begins to glimmer upon your heart; confusing because now what do you do with it? There seems to be loads of insurmountable responsibility that comes along with finding your passion and purpose. To ignore it would be to fail and miss out on everything your life was designed for; to go after it would be to begin the process of eventually succeeding should you continually muster up the courage to never give up.

So often the easy road is to simply acknowledge the discovery and forget the “doing.” To live a life of apathy and ultimately die wondering what could have been had you just taken that first step. The first step surely is the hardest. Don’t be fooled though, the journey is paved with gravel, potholes, smog filled valleys, and sometimes deafening silence. And then . . . sunlight; pure, radiant sunlight.

I don’t believe there are enough words in any language to adequately express the feeling of embarking on the journey of fulfilling your life’s passion and purpose. Joy, Exhilaration, Contentment, and even Thrilling encompass some of it, but they don’t do it justice. To know that you are a contributing piece to the giant puzzle that is this world, and to find the placement, in which your piece fits, is the most satisfying feeling one can ever experience.

I don’t have my exact placement in this puzzle figured out yet; but I’m beginning to discover the angles that make up my borders and who my aligning pieces might be. Believe my transparency when I say this is not an easy mission, nor is it exactly pretty all the time. Never in my life have I been in such inner turmoil, constantly aware of my thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. Never in my life have I had more questions without answers. Never in my life have I had the patience to enjoy the process and rest while the pieces come into focus . . . until now. I’m learning how to take this all in and breathe through the process of living out my passion and purpose.

Let me ask you . . . do you know your life’s passion and purpose? Are you willing to take the first step and continue on the bumpy path to make it happen and live it out?

As always, be blessed! Be healthy! Be Inspired!

Hidden Within

Over the past month I have been focusing on the life area of Curiosity & Learning. As the dawn of the last day of this focus approaches, I am finding that there are many sides to this soul that God has made in me. It truly is exhilerating to open myself up and discover the multi-faceted dimensions that are the layers of Mandy Lynn Anderson. I have discovered many treasures that have been hidden within myself for far too long, tucked away in the dusty corners of my heart. I'm so glad that I am taking this season to unpack them all and finally find a home for them.

FAITH - My faith is something that fuels me day in and day out. It is one of the biggest parts of my puzzle. I enjoy reading about God, and lately I am finding that I am drawn to Bibles in a bookstore. I am also drawn to really great devotionals that challenge me to dig deeper into my faith.

FUN - This part of me has been hiding for a really long time, and I have allowed it. Well no more! I love listening to great music and I love bursting into song for no specific reason other than I just want to be silly and sing. I love to laugh! Not just small giggles, but big belly laughs that bring tears to your eyes and cause your entire body to laugh. I love the layers of being a girl and having the ability to experiment with makeup and fashion.

ARCHITECTURE - I love contemporary designs that are full of clean lines, amazing color, sleek materials and classy detail. I also love French inspired homes and big cities. Yes, I love big cities! I love to get lost in the details of downtown architecture; it inspires me to be myself and challenges me to aspire to be the person I have locked away deep down inside myself for too many years.

ART - I love to gaze into amazing art pieces. There is something so soothing about getting lost in a great painting and really studying the detail of each stroke, the vibrance of each color, and the story hidden within each canvas.

ALONE - I am no longer afraid to have an adventure by myself. There was a time where sitting alone in a restaurant waiting for my guest would intimidate me and make me feel apprehensive. Not any more. I relish in the moments when I can sit and observe my surroundings in a restaurant - I even go early just so I can take it all in by myself! I frequently go into Barnes and Noble and spend 45 minutes just getting lost in the books and stories that fill the shelves. And I am anxiously awaiting my next trip to California when I can have the pleasure of an airplane adventure completely by myself!

Recently there are moments through out my days where I stop and wonder who this person inside of me is and how long she has been waiting to get out. I have settled for mediocrity for far too long. I am dreaming again and let me reassure you that the possibilities truly are endless when you set your mind to it. I leave you today with a quote. May you always aim high! Be blessed. Be healthy. Be inspired!

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo

"The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be, but because of who I may become, I will close my eyes and JUMP!" - Kelle Centineo, NMD

I completely agree with the above quote, and I am feeling it! So much has changed over the last month and a half. I recently joined a life coaching group where I will be peeling away the layers that are within me over a 12 month period. This month, I am focusing on becoming aware of my thoughts, reactions, what I'm curious about and what I enjoy learning about. All I can say is WOW - I'm learning a lot about myself! I would like to take this time to share what I have discovered so far. Over the last two weeks I have been acutely aware of my thoughts . . . in a stronger capacity than I have ever experienced. I have surprised myself with how many thoughts go through my head that are more negative than positive and more limiting instead of empowering.

I have often heard that awareness is the first step to being open about change. I am so COMPLETELY AWARE of my thoughts/reactions lately that I feel as though a floodgate has been opened and freedom has been released and found. I have more fears than I ever realized – fears that seem just plain silly (fear of success) and fears that I have secretly been aware of for years (fear of losing friends). Through all of this awareness, I have also discovered that the ability to overcome these fears is fiercely approaching the surface, and that not only am I capable of overcoming them, I WILL overcome them!

Sunday was the first day where I tasted this ability. It was a turning point in my life. Through a mundane task as simple as flying, I found that I can rise above and knock down a fear wall with a tenacious gusto! I tackled a milestone head on that arrived in the form of traveling in an airport completely alone. I knew no one and it forced me to grow. Not only was I alone, but I found within myself the ability to reach deep down and grab hold of courage, determination, and a savvy sense of traveling that I always knew existed but couldn’t act on.

I took the opportunity to get bumped on my flight back home, resulting in 7.5 hours in an airport alone (something that would’ve bored me before, thus making me extremely frightened because I absolutely loathe forced boredom). This single decision was instantly rewarded with a travel voucher worth $300, $20 in food coupons since I was going to be at the airport all day, and a spot in first class all the way home to Fargo. I was completely ecstatic because I saw God’s hand in every aspect of it! It was as if God himself was rewarding this new found independence and travel wisdom simply for the fact of cheering me on and encouraging me to stay the course of jumping outside of my comfort nest.

I have never felt more empowered and free! This experience was not scary at all, contrary to the thoughts that swam around in my head previously. In fact, it was more exhilarating than I could’ve imagined. I’m coming out of my shell and it’s only a matter of time before my fears are but a tiny token of who I used to be. I’m learning how to LIVE OUT LOUD and I truly can’t wait to meet myself even six months from now as I board the plane to Long Beach, CA for my next conference – bought with the travel voucher from today, yet another provision from my Heavenly Father!

Inspired . . . to run!

I am overflowing with so much joy and excitement right now because today I ran further and longer than I ever have before without stopping! I ran 1.5 miles this afternoon and for someone with Cystic Fibrosis, that is a major milestone. Never in a million years did I think that I could run that far and not die; I never imagined that I would enjoy it either!

When I was in 7th grade I participated in track. I hated it. My dad was a track star in his high school days and I know that he was hoping the dream would've been passed down to me. It was not. I hated running, practice was boring, the bus rides to track meets were too long and noisy, and the only thing I enjoyed about track meets was the fact that it was one GIANT PICNIC in between each race! I was not an athlete; I was there for the socializing and the eating.

I don't consider myself an athlete today either, but I am becoming very passionate about wellness. I have been working out with a personal trainer for 1.5 years and I've been diving into the world of nutrition. Through numerous Juice Plus conferences I have learned valuable information about nutrition that has made a tremendous impact in my lifestyle and my health. I give God all praise and glory for my health and I am thankful that he has provided me with tangible solutions to establishing better health. I credit my great achievement of running to Juice Plus and to the fact that I exercise on a daily basis. I am seeing amazing results in my health and I am determining to forge ahead mightily! I'm sure my doctor is going to flip tomorrow when I tell him this exciting news!

If I can accomplish something like this, I know without a doubt that you can accomplish whatever you set your heart on. As always, be blessed, be healthy, and be inspired!!

Once Again

I am a person that strongly believes in baring my soul to others in order to inspire them. With that in mind, I share the following piece of my history - how one of the first songs I wrote came to light and how the lessons revealed in that song continue to surface throughout my journey on earth.

In 1999, after being suddenly dumped by someone that I really loved, I broke down. It may not have been apparent to everyone around me, or even to this other person, but inside I was devestated and broken. Instead of burying these feelings to the depth of my being, I let myself feel it all to it's fullest. I dug deep within myself and allowed the full measure of pain, betrayel, and regret to be experienced, and then I curled up under God's arms and allowed him to sew my broken heart back together again. The result was one of the first songs I ever wrote, entitled "Once Again."

Several months after writing it, when the wounds were starting to scab over, I was asked by one of my teachers to submit it for my Honors English class as a special project. I was excited and willing to do so, until she informed me that she wanted me to record myself singing it so the entire class could hear it. This was a scary thought for me because my ex was in this class and I wasn't sure that I was ready for my feelings to be put out there for everyone to see, especially him. I decided that if I truly wanted to become an artist in the future, I needed to get used to the idea of letting people into my inner most thoughts, so I went forward with it. (It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.) Little did I know that only two years later this song would end up on my first recorded album. I have decided to share the words of this song with you:

Once Again

copyright 1999 and 2001 Mandy Brakel and Lonely Moose Records

Broken hearted, lost beyond control

Tears have started and I can't seem to let go

Of the pain that's dwelling deep inside

But Lord, I know what's happened is right

chorus

Once again, I'm coming before you

Once again, please make my heart brand new

I'm always trying to do things my own way

Once again, I'm down on my knees, Lord I pray

Once again

I know you're fed up with the way I've come to act

Taking my whole life into my own hands

But every time I've come to find

That Lord, your way is always right

Lord, I know you hear me

I know you know my every move

Now I'm giving it all back to you

Fast forward to 2008. I have recently discovered that the words of this song still ring true to my heart. Situations may have changed, but many times I find myself feeling the same way. I keep trying to take my life into my own hands, manipulating situations to fit my idea of perfection. Whenever I do that, I find that I only screw things up. I make them worse and I lose sight of where I am going because I let my selfishness take over.

As a woman of God, I am devoting myself to living his perfect will for my life and sometimes this is not an easy thing to do. Recklessly abandoning my agenda and diving into God's exciting adventure is not always the story book life that I envisioned. More often than not, it's easier, and less painful, to regress or stay in one spot than to move forward. I know that there will always be times in life where, once again, I have to come before God and let him make my heart brand new. There will always be times when I am broken hearted or feel lost beyond control. The exciting thing is that this only happens when growth is taking place and I am so thankful that God is always there, ready and waiting to pick me up, strengthen me, and encourage me on his desired path for my life.

Thank you for letting me share a piece of my heart. I hope this testimony is refreshing for you. Be healthy, be blessed, and be inspired!

The Traveler's Gift - Decision #1

I recently read the book "The Traveler's Gift" by Andy Andrews and I have challenged myself to commit to memory and heart each decision from this book for 21 days at a time. Wow, talk about revealing sleeping giants and learning how to tame them!

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

For the last 11 days I have been waking up every day and going to bed every night by applying this decision to my life. I walk into my bathroom, look myself in the eyes through my mirror, and repeat the following:

1. I accept responsibility for my past.

2. I control my thoughts.

3. I control my emotions.

4. I am responsible for my success.

5. The buck stops here, with me, Mandy Lynn Anderson.

I have realized many amazing details about myself since I have been doing this. For one, I have discovered that I have a tendancy to dwell on my past way too much. Lately I have been reliving memories and wallowing in things that never were and I have wasted precious time, therefore delaying my own success.

I recently also had the revelation that I have not forgiven certain key people in my past, including myself. Well no more missy! From now on I am going to make a conscious effort to forgive myself and anyone else who comes to mind. I plan on forgiving these people every single day if I have to until finally the grasp is released.

This exercise of the mind is proving to be a valuable technique that I do plan on pursuing for the rest of my life. I am not proud of the fact that I somehow manage to hold on to thoughts, emotions, and events of my past and let them slow me down while trying to attain greatness. I am, however, thankful of the fact that I have not yet reached my desired potential. I am blessed to have this opportunity to dig deeper into the depth that is my soul, knowing full well that I will be stronger on the other side.

I encourage you to get this book and dig deeper within yourself to discover potential you didn't know was buried. You'll thank yourself for doing so!

As always, stay healthy, be blessed, and be inspired!

the little things

the little things - TRYING SOMETHING NEW:
"Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low." - Tom Peters

I absolutely LOVE this quote! The past 13 months of my life have been about trying new things and I have made a more profound difference in my life than I ever could have dreamed. Here are just a few examples of steps into the unknown that I have made this year:

1. Quit a full time job to start my own business with no guarantees.

2. Said "yes" to becoming the Women's Events Coordinator at my church.

3. Said "yes" to speaking in public! (scary!!)

4. Tried boogy boarding in the ocean for the first time! (very scary but so worth it!)

5. Started writing articles for magazines and finally began writing my first book.

6. Took the first steps in stretching myself on a continual basis through personal growth exercises!

7. Realized for the first time in my life that I am not in a comfort zone anymore. (What a refreshing and completely invigorating experience that is!)

Earlier today I heard that in order to be successful in anything, you must have a desire to change and a willingness to do so. Realize that the discomfort is only temporary, but the lessons and the results are life long. What an incredible thing to keep in mind. I want to encourage you to walk into the unknown, realize that it will only be uncomforable for awhile, and embrace the excitement that awaits you just around the corner! Feel free to share with me your list of new experiences!

Have a great day - be blessed, stay healthy, and be inspired!

the little things

the little things - EMBRACING YOUR UNIQUENESS:

"By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before." - Edwin Elliot

How many times have you heard someone apologize for who they are? How many times have you done that yourself? Whether we are trying to be humble or simply have low self-esteem, we all at some point have apologized out loud or to ourselves for who we are. But why? Why don't we embrace it?

A few months ago I was given a personality test by the Senior Pastor at my church. He was giving this to all of the pastors and since I am the Women's Events Coordinator I was given permission to take the test as well. After a few weeks I went through the test results with my Pastor and his wife and I couldn't help but laugh at how accurate it was. The most obvious detail about this personality test, however, was that I have learned to use my adapted behavior far more often than my natural behavior. In a nutshell - I tend to not embrace my uniqueness.

Instead of apologizing for my strengths, or trying to hide them so I don't intimidate someone, I am now focusing on fine tuning them. After all, God made me the way I am for a reason - strengths and weaknesses alike. I truly believe the opening quote and I'm so glad that we are all made with different abilities and have different missions. Wouldn't life be boring otherwise?!

Maybe you are struggling with how to accept a compliment, or maybe you are trying to be more timid because your ambition scares others around. Maybe you haven't had a chance to truly discover your strengths. Whatever path you are on at the moment, I encourage you to embrace your uniqueness. Trust me, you don't want to miss the opportunity to add something beautiful to the world that wasn't there before you came along!

As always, be blessed, stay healthy, and be inspired!

Majestic

I am in St. Louis right now for a Juice Plus conference and brainstorming session. I am blessed to stay at the beautiful home of a good friend and am enjoying the energizing company of the talented souls that I am with. I must say - I am in a reflective mood and ready to welcome with open arms all that God has in store for the next few days.

At the moment my friend, Mandi Jensen, is expressing her inner soul through majestic music on the piano and I am blessed to sit in the presence of her God-given talent. I can't help but soak it in. I feel as though I am listening to one of God's angels gift me with the rare opportunity of a window into what heaven might be like.

Seizing this opportunity makes me wonder how long it has been since you have taken time to soak up God's gifts. I encourage you to make time for that this week. Pop in a classical CD or an instrumental worship CD and soak in the majestic, soul soothing sounds.

Be blessed, stay healthy, and be inspired!

the little things

While perusing a boutique in downtown Fargo this afternoon, I discovered a treasure of inspirational quotes dwelling within the binding of a simple, soft teal book entitled "the little things." I have decided to share several of these quotes throughout the next few weeks and add my personal perspective on them as well. Enjoy!

the little things - AN EXCITING VISION:

"The future is not someplace we are going to, but a place we are creating. The paths to it are not found, they are made." - Jane Garvey

This quote struck me as very profound. It is true. Every decision we make at this point in time is molding our future. When I was at a Juice Plus Bootcamp a few weeks ago one of the speaker's commented on how the present is the future you envisioned for yourself long ago. The problem with this is that many people do not envision their future, they wait for it to find them. This is a huge mistake because in order to bring about the future you dream of, you have to be a person of action. Let me give you an example:

When Nate and I first got married we envisioned a future of financial freedom. Our dream was to live comfortably and not be rich exactly, but have enough money to buy the things we want and pay for the things we need. This was the future we envisioned, but it was not the future I was eagerly going after. I developed a shopping addiction that shot this dream in the foot - until I finally woke up and realized the error of my ways and made a conscious effort to change it. Now we are completely aware of how we truly want our future to look and how we plan to get there.

So many people in this world forget to acknowledge the fact that their present decisions determine their future. I would go as far as to say that this also includes attitude. Your attitude greatly affects your future because it affects your decisions. If you have a bad attitude toward everything, or even a few things, it has a negative impact on your behavior and your decisions.

I want to encourage you to take some time to truly dream about what you want your future to be like, and then plot out the steps you want to take to get there. The only way you are truly going to have the future you dream of is if you start to create it right now. I truly believe this with all my heart and soul. If you are not happy with your current lot in life, start making new paths to direct the future into what you want it to be. You'll be so much happier because of it, and you may even find inner strength and courage that you never knew you had!

As always, be blessed, be healthy, and be inspired!

Personal Growth Challenge

Anyone who knows me really well can figure out that I pretty much welcome change with open arms . . . or at least I make it look that way. Because of my type A personality, I sometimes welcome change with excitement and then get scared after the fact, but I have realized that personal growth is necessary if you want to move ahead in life. That being said . . .

I just finished the book "The Traveler's Gift" by Andy Andrews. Wow - an amazing challenge of personal growth is just waiting within the pages of this fictional book. I have to say, some of my favorite quotes from this inspiring story were found near the very end, but I fully intend on practicing the seven decisions for success in my life on a regular basis. Here are some thoughts to leave with you from Andy Andrews . . .

"Circumstances are rulers of the weak, but they are weapons of the wise."

"Circumstances do not push or pull. They are daily lessons to be studied and gleaned for new knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge and wisdom that are applied will bring about a brighter tomorrow."

And my favorite:

"Between you and anything significant will be giants in your path."

Be blessed, stay healthy, and as always, be inspired!

Heartwarming Surprise

Recently we have been discussing the book "Love & Respect" by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs in our couples bible study. I have learned over the past year that trials get harder the closer you are to a breakthrough, and I believe that is especially true in marriage as well. While discussing this book, my husband, Nate, and I had an interesting conversation last night that left us both realizing that we have fallen short in many areas of our marriage.

Albeit, this realization may seem like a negative revelation, it is actually quite the opposite. It has given us both an opportunity to rise to the occasion and truly give each other the respect and love we desire and need. That said, I was heartwarmingly surprised tonight by the following action that Nate took to show me in his own way, yet in a way that completely melted my heart and spoke my language, that he loves me:

This is a picture taken of our garage wall. As I returned home from a seminar tonight and drove my car into the garage, I saw the above message that Nate had spray painted on our garage wall directly in front of my car. My headlights highlighted this message like bright spotlights, and when I realized what he had done, my eyes teared up and my heart swelled with love and admiration. This truly was a wonderful surprise!

Thank you, Nate, for going out of your way to show me how much I mean to you. I love you with all my heart and soul!

My Mission: Hope and Health!

What an amazing weekend I had!! I spent some time at a Juice Plus bootcamp with close to 70 amazing individuals and I have never felt so excited and motivated in my life! This was the event that I was blessed to speak at as well and I can't express in words the overwhelming feeling that came over me when I finally realized the opportunity I had been given.

Right now I am on vacation at a lake cabin and I have had some time to finally absorb all of the information that was overflowing in my mind from the weekend. The biggest revelation I had this weekend after hearing tons of inspiring stories and personal challenges is that I figured out what my personal mission in life is. Are you ready for this? My personal mission at this point in my life is to realize each and every day the amazing responsibility I have to bring a message of hope and health to everyone I come into contact with.

There is tremendous hope in the message of Jesus Christ and the message of good nutrition and health. Since I possess both of these, it truly is my responsibility to share it. I don't want to hide it and keep it for myself because that would be the biggest failure that this little soul could ever make. So, for the next several months or years, however long it takes, my mission will remain the same. I want to encourage you to find your life's mission. It may change over time but until you finally get it branded in your mind, I encourage you to work on your life mission every day.

My mission: To realize everyday the amazing responsibility I have to bring a message of hope and health to everyone I come into contact with.

Upcoming Speaking Event

So life is anything but boring in my neck of the woods and God is opening up amazing opportunities for me. Next weekend I will be attending a summer boot camp for Juice Plus in Minneapolis. I am so excited to meet more incredible people and learn the latest information about nutrition and healthy living. But the biggest thing that I am excited about is the Sunday morning prayer breakfast. God has given me the opportunity to speak the message that morning and so I am busy preparing for that this week.

It never ceases to amaze me how saying "yes" to God always dramatically changes your life. A year ago I never would have dreamed that I would be given the opportunities that I am now. It's so exciting I can hardly wait to see where life is next year, or 5 years from now for that matter! Please pray for me as I embark on this journey.

I hope you are doing well. Be blessed and be inspired!

Here You Go . . . "Mam!"

Seriously. Am I really old enough to be called "Mam?" Today while working at a coffee shop (the second one of the day mind you), I was greeted with a smile by the overly chipper barista. After he prepared my frozen lemonade he wistfully handed me my straw and exclaimed, "Here you go Mam!"

As I walked to my seat it occurred to me that "Mam" is a fairly common polite word to use; however it did nothing for my ego except make me feel old and it didn't seem to sit well in my mind. At the age of 26, I strongly feel that "Ms. or Miss" would be more appropriate! Yes, I am married, but I still have that young, joyful flare and I certainly don't look old enough to be a "Mam!" I guess I'll chalk it up to my maturity and not think about it again!

What If . . .

Earlier this morning I had the privelege of chatting with an old friend from high school over facebook. It was great to catch up, since we haven't seen each other for about three or four years. We exchanged laughable comments and took a trip down memory lane where we reminisced about shared experiences, the heartbreak of high school relationships, and the life that we now live. And then we started playing the "what if" game. You know, the one where every now and then your trip down memory lane takes an unchartered turn onto an exit marked "what could've been."

We sat there (well, I'm only assuming that my friend sat too since this was all over the computer, but I could be wrong) and discussed the things we would've maybe changed in our past relationships and the opportunities we maybe would've taken instead of letting them fall into the pile of possible regrets. "What if" I would've never broken up with so and so; or "what if" I would've gotten back together with my first love? What if the one that got away would've been the one that stayed forever? What if I never would've lost that prized possession?!

Long after the conversation ended I held onto the "what if" game, and played it inside my own head. What if I would've focused on my future more instead of the boyfriends that I spent so much time with? What if I would've spent more time diving into God's plan for my life instead of dwelling on my own desires? What would've happened if I had gone to college in Springfield, MO instead of staying in Fargo? And what would've happened had I just packed up and took my chances in Nashville or California in the music scene?

I have played the "what if" game many times in my head. I always end up at the same conclusion though. None of the "what if's" matter. What matters are the things I am doing right now, and the things I have learned from my past. I wouldn't change anything about my past because it has made me who I am. I am so much stronger today because of the heartbreak, the losses, the successes, and the failures of my past. Had I changed anything about my past, I wouldn't have met my wonderful husband, and I wouldn't be happily married going on 6 years.

The "what if" game can lead you into dangerous territory, my friend, if you're not careful. It can cause your heart to long for the good memories of the past and forget the bad ones. Instead of dwelling about the "what if's" of the past, I think I'm going to focus on the "what if's" of my future. What if my dreams really do come true - now wouldn't that be a "what if" to cherish!

Shopping Ban of 2008

In January of this year I made a vow to stop doing the one thing that brought me instant gratification, (not to mention instant debt) - SHOPPING!

Yep, I decided that this would be the year I cure the shopping addiction that had been growing over the last several years. You know, the addiction where you actually dream of that pair of red stilleto heals until finally they live in your well stocked closet, yet you don't wear them for fear of ruining them in the rain or the mud. Or that constant need to buy every single shade of gray suit you see at the Limited because it will look amazing on you, even though you already have 3 gray suits that are now collecting dust because you don't have enough reasons to wear them.

Yep, I had a problem, and since recognizing that problem is the first step in recovery, I figured the second step would be to stop cold turkey! So, I have been adhering to the following guidelines for 7 months now:

1. Unless it is a necessity, I don't need to buy it.(clothes, shoes, earrings, necklaces, etc. - however makeup does not count because that, in my world, is a necessity, and has never been my addiction.)

2. The only acception to this shopping ban is if someone gives me money and puts stipulations on it such as when it can be used and what for.

That being said, this past Saturday, after several months of stearing clear of the mall and any sales that would tempt me, I went shopping. I was given some money from my grandma last week and was told that I can't save it, but instead I need to buy myself some clothes. (Not sure if she was trying to tell me something about my wardrobe, but I wasn't about to waste this opportunity.

So there I was in the mall, cash in hand, and ready for the hunt. There was just one problem - I wasn't finding a lot of prey out there to add to my collection. You see, since I've stopped shopping, I've stopped dreaming about things that I don't need. I've stopped obsessing over every cute outfit in a catalog and I've found that I am beginning to be more picky about what ends up in my wardrobe. I have come to care more about what I spend my money on.

I have to say, this shopping ban is something I wasn't sure I could pull off. But I'm finding that the changes in my attitude, and more importantly the changes in my heart, are well worth the sacrifice of having the perfect outfit. God is teaching me so much during this time of no shopping, that I don't even have the desire to shop. I just don't think about it anymore. And you know what? It's very liberating!

Reflections

Where has the time gone? It seems we just got back from our trip to Portland, and already a month has actually gone by! Time goes by so fast, and sometimes I just get swept up in the current. Recognizing this pattern, today I decided to stop, smell the roses, and truly be present in my current place of
inhabitance, even if it was a bit difficult. . .

For anyone that knows me really well, it will be no surprise to you that I love the ocean. There's something about standing on a beach and staring out at the open sea that is calming to my soul. I really could never explain it until I took some time to ponder it this morning. I decided this week to take a half hour out of my morning and walk, but instead of bringing my i-pod with I have found that praying is much more appropriate for me. So, this morning, I walked, prayed and discovered the answer to the question: "Why is the ocean so calming to me?" This is a question that I have been pondering for the last six months. Ever since we returned from Hawaii, I have had this longing to go back (more so than any other time in my life). I'm not quite sure why, but I think I understand it a little bit better after this morning.

I have started to try finding beauty in the world that I am currently residing in (i.e. North Dakota). Sometimes this is hard to do. This morning on my walk I looked at the blue sky with fluffy clouds, the green grass still twinkling with morning dew, and the small trees around my neighborhood and realized that it truly is beautiful. But then I remembered Canon Beach in Oregon and the beaches in Hawaii and it seemed that ND doesn't even hold a candle to the majestic feeling of being by the ocean.

I guess when I took the time to really search for the answer, it came down to one truth. In my seemingly small world, I get caught up in the busyness. Work gets in the way, chores pile up, and before I know it I have gone months without taking the time to really enjoy my surroundings and be thankful for them. When I'm by an ocean, however, it is not like that. I sit for hours staring at the crashing waves and soaking up the sun (or, as in Oregon, staring at the crashing waves and shivering because it is cloudy, cold, and misty). I don't have pending projects or schedules and I can just be . . . and that's when I hear it.

In those moments when I have been by the ocean, I hear God's voice even more clear that I hear it at home or at church. It's a whisper in the breeze or a small, calm feeling in the sound of a crashing wave. I hear it so clearly in that atmosphere that when I get home to my regular routine, it gets drowned out, and my soul begins to miss the surroundings that seem to welcome a sense of just being.

Nate and I have come to the conclusion that some day we would like to live by an ocean, even if it is just for a few months out of the year. Until then, I have found that I need to create those moments of meditation and appreciation for my surrounding environment myself. I have to admit, it has felt good these last three days to hear God's voice during my morning walk. To get out of the house, forget about chores and clients, and just be.

I want to encourage you, whatever point in life you are in - make time to spend being present in your environment. Even for just a half hour. You'll find that your soul is greatly refreshed and your world truly is beautiful.

New Directions

Throughout the last few weeks I have been letting several new dreams and ideas grow in the back of my mind. This has been difficult for me because I'm trying to keep up with my work and with my hobbies and sometimes that proves to be a daunting task. Nonetheless, I have come to some conclusions and I am no longer going to just keep up, but rather become a more involved driver (along with God) in my destiny. Decisions have been made, opportunities have been proposed, and new dreams have been birthed - it's an exciting time!!

I have sensed the need to write a book for the last few years, and I just couldn't put my finger on what it would exactly be about. After coming up with the idea of inspiring people, I have finally figured it out! Over the next few months I am going to work on the preliminary draft of this masterpiece and I am so excited about the opportunities that are going to grow from this new direction. Keep a look out for little snippets of my book as I begin this new challenge!

Have a fabulous weekend and may God bless you today in more ways than one!

Blessed with Bad Service!

Nate and I are currently walking the road of trusting God 100% in regards to our finances. Let me be clear, this is not something that is easy - especially for me. I always like to be in control of situations like this and I am finding that I am being stretched beyond my comfort zone!

I'm sure you've heard testimonies of people who have given an offering of money to God and it was more than what they could afford at the time. Usually, at least the testimonies that I have heard anyway, what follows is an exciting occurrence of a check arriving at their doorstep at just the right time - and it is for exactly the amount of money that they needed! Please don't misconstrue what I am saying; I am not mocking these stories, nor am I discounting them. I believe that God works in those ways quite frequently. In my present situation, however, he is deciding to be clever about it and test my patience as well.

A few weeks ago my husband and I were on our way to Carrington for a wedding. We stopped on the way to have dinner at a well known "neighborhood grill." We received our food and started chowing down. After a few moments, Nate noticed that he needed a refill on his beverage. So, we kept an eye out for our waitress. Twenty minutes went by and our waitress did not stop by our table, in fact, NO ONE stopped by our table! The funny thing was that our waitress walked past us several times and serviced tables all around us, but we seemed to be completely invisible (and very thirsty - Nate was, not me).

Finally, my husband went up to the manager and explained the situation. The manager felt so bad about it that he paid for our entire meal and we were free to go on our way! Stunned, we walked to our car and I couldn't help but giggle a little as I realized how God had just financially blessed us with a free meal.

Fast forward to a week later - we were in Portland (for another wedding) and we decided to drive to the coast for the day. We wandered down to the hotel restaurant and ordered breakfast. Nate had the buffet, but I ordered the Brick Oven Eggs (scrumptious - I had tried them the day before and loved them!). The waitress came to the table with the side of fruit that I ordered and explained that it would be a few more minutes for my eggs because the chef had accidentally burned them. I told her "no problem" and we continued our conversation. Ten minutes later she stopped by again and said that the chef had done the same thing again! She felt so bad - she explained that this has never happened before, and that my meal would be completely free that morning to make up for it.

Now, I must explain something about myself. Normally in this situation, I would be a little annoyed. I would complain to my husband about the service and sit there huffing with my arms crossed (I hate to admit it, but I am only human and yes, I am usually quite impatient). The interesting thing about these experiences is that I was not annoyed, nor was I upset. In fact, once again, I couldn't help but giggle about this abnormal blessing! As I walked to the car with Nate, I told him how it was so amazing that God was blessing us with bad service!

I hope this testimony has inspired you to have a better attitude when things don't go your way. If you take a step back in those situations, you might just realize that it is God blessing you in a most unusual way!

Inspire Wellness . . .

Over the past few years I have felt new dreams building in my heart. One of those dreams is to share my life story of overcoming obstacles in the hopes of inspiring people to stay or get healthy and believe in themselves so they too, can accomplish everything they have dreamed of and then some.

An amazing opportunity has come my way to be a part of an organization that is on a mission to make our world healthier. In addition to Creative Elements Marketing, I am now a sales person and wellness coordinator with Juice Plus. Juice Plus, in a nutshell, is whole food nutrition in a capsule. It is fruits and vegetables in a pill form!

This opportunity opens many doors to inspire people to live healthier! I am looking forward to providing wellness presentations throughout the year to business professionals, families, organizations, and virtually anyone interested in improving their health and quality of life while getting inspired. I'll keep you posted on this very blog of upcoming events. For more information on Juice Plus, feel free to visit my website at http://www.inspirewellness.biz/.

Get healthy, stay inspired!

Faith Building Proof

Sometimes I have to chuckle at how awesome God is. A funny incident happened to me yesterday afternoon that reminded me how God does in fact care about even the silliest, minute details in our lives. But before I divulge yesterday's discovery, I must back up to almost two weeks ago . . .

It was a very windy Friday afternoon and Nate and I were suppose to go to my parents house to eat supper with them and my grandparents. Nate was running very late and I was getting more and more agitated by this fact as time went on (I hate to admit it, but yes, I am a very impatient person by nature). I finished freshening up and decided to wear my FAVORITE pair of sterling silver hoop earrings that were given to me by my mother-in-law for Christmas. I love them - and I am not exaggerating by any means when I say they are my favorite!

I thought I heard Nate in the driveway so I decided to go outside and see if he was there, while trying to call him on my cell phone at the same time. Bad idea on a windy day! I stepped out the front door and the wind was so strong that my screen door almost blew off so I secured it back into place and headed straight into the wind while walking to my driveway. Of course Nate wasn't there, so I headed back inside. The moment I stepped into the house it dawned on me that I only had one earring dangling on the side of my neck. To my absolute HORROR - I had lost the other earring!! That's right, the wind was so strong that it blew the earring (which was obviously not clasped correctly) right out of my ear.

Given the current situation, I then was extremely upset about my earring. (Most girls understand the devestation of having only 1 earring left of your favorite pair - it's just not right! It's like driving your car with 3 wheels instead of 4!) I looked outside for the earring for a good half hour until Nate finally arrived home (to a very upset wife - I must clarify that I am usually a very joyful person by nature, but this particular day was not going well for me. I was mostly irritated about losing my favorite earring; however, him being late only fueled the fire of being upset so it was not a good start to our evening! I did later apologize for my behavior because it was wrong, and our evening ended very nicely.)

A few days later, it somehow came up in our Bible Study that I had lost the earring. The pastor could tell it was still really bothering me, so he prayed that I would find the lost earring even though it was only a material object. That was a week ago.

Sunday afternoon, I decided to mow the lawn, after finally coming to terms with the fact that I had a lonely earring sitting in my jewelry store (I call it a store because it's a huge, free standing jewelry case that has drawers and popout sides - a dream come true for any jewerly loving female). As I mowed, I continued to search for the earring in the hopes that I would at least find out what happened to it, even if I ended up crunching it with the mower. No such luck - the earring was no where to be found.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. I went outside at 4:30 p.m. to see if the mail had arrived yet. It had not. It was a fairly beautiful day by this point with the sun shining and a cool breeze. As I returned to the house I noticed something sparkling in the grass. It struck me as odd because nothing had been there when I mowed so I wondered what it could be.

I bent down to pick it up - and it was my lost earring!! How crazy is that?!? I picked it up, looked it over and found that it was in perfect condition - it didn't even have any tarnishing spots on it at all. I ran into the house and was overwhelmed with giggles because I knew that the only reason it showed up is because we prayed about it. Isn't that funny? I didn't even want prayer for the earring, but God prompted pastor's heart to pray for it anyway because God loves to surprise his children!

God is so awesome - he knew that I could live without the earring; I had finally come to that conclusion and even though it was annoying to have one lonely earring, I was fine - life went on just the same. Nothing life or death. Only God knew the girlish joy that would come in my heart from finding something lost and how it could bring me to complete giggles at how amazing he is.

As I sit here telling this story, it has dawned on me that the overwhelming feeling of joy, giggles, and delight that I felt over finding my lost earring is exactly how Jesus feels when we come home to him after being lost. Maybe you are reading this story and you realize that the wind has blown you away from your home - maybe you are lost and apart from Jesus. Guess what, there is still hope. You can still find your way home and come back to Jesus. He won't be upset when you return because you might have gotten "dirty" while away from home. He will be so overwhelmed with joy, delight, and sheer giggles at the sight of seeing you after longing for you to come back that he will scoop you up in his arms and hold on to you!

I hope your heart is inspired by this story and that you are reminded at how awesome our loving God is. Have a great day and God bless!

Inspire

It has been awhile since my last posting. Life has such a way of getting crazy busy before I even realize it! This might be a very random posting, but I just feel that I need to say these few words.

Over the last week I have realized that God has clearly been placing new desires in my heart. I have felt God preparing me to write a book and speak publicly about living a full life in the midst of obstacles and uncertainty for a few years now. I am excited to announce that over the past week, God has confirmed these new desires through various circumstances (that I will dive into at another time). But for now, I simply want to take a brief moment to inspire you . . .

Whoever you are, it is not by chance that you are reading this blog. Whether you are a friend of mine or a random blog surfer passing some time, I truly believe that you have been led here for a reason. Dear friend, I want to inspire you by telling you that whatever you are going through right now, it will get better. I have been through a lot in my short life on this earth, and I can tell you that I have had some very dark days. Days when I was ready to give up and let my enemies win (one of those days actually happened within the last week!) But, the sun does shine again . . . I promise! Traveling through dark valleys is part of growing. It makes us stronger and able to handle future circumstances with a vigor we have never known. Stay postive, smile, and trust that the sun will shine again . . . soon.

If you are someone that is called into a position of leadership, allow me to inspire you with some words that were spoken to my heart by God this past week. "Leaders don't hide; they may be scared, but they don't hide. Leaders lead by example, by doing."

My new life's goal is to inspire people to be the best that they can; to realize that they can make it through life's struggles, no matter how dark it may seem at the moment, and that they will be stronger on the other side of those struggles! I also want to inspire people to become a healthier version of themselves so they can live a healthier life!

Please know that I don't claim to know everything or be a perfect person - I'm going through all of this just the same as everyone else, and I make my share of mistakes. But be inspired knowing that there is someone out there experiencing similar situations and surviving them. Believe me, if I can do it - so can you!

Have a blessed day. Be healthy - and be inspired!

Everyday Miracles

James 5:16
"...pray for each other so that you may be healed."

We serve an amazing God, who is just waiting for us to ask him for a miracle. Most of us probably don't notice everyday miracles that God provides because we may be too busy with work, families, t.v., . . . the list goes on. If we could all just cut out the distractions and focus on God, we would be stunned at what we would see him doing in our lives. That being said, I want to give a personal testimony of a small, everyday miracle that God provided for me today.

Last night at about 6 p.m. my right eye starting feeling very strained, itchy, and I was having blurred vision. By the end of the night, it was really red, a little swollen, and very goupy (sorry if this is a little gross). Both Nate and I were pretty sure that it was pink eye, although I wouldn't know because I've never had pink eye. Nate, on the other hand, is a frequent pink eye patient so he is well aware of the symptoms and he was pretty sure that's what I had. (Plus, we looked it up on webmd and all of my symptoms were under "Pink Eye.")

Before we went to bed, we laid hands over my eye and prayed that God would heal it by morning. I really didn't want to get more antibiotics given the fact that I had just finished a bunch a few weeks ago for pneumonia. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. today and my eye was really crusty, so I placed a warm, wet washcloth on it and slept for another two hours.

When I got out of bed at 7:30 a.m. I noticed that my eye felt much better. I looked in the mirror and the majority of the redness was gone, along with the goup and the crust. I placed some eye drops in my eye to give it extra moisture and figured I would keep a close watch on it throughout the day. It is now 6 p.m. (24 hours later) and my eye is completely fine and back to normal! I give all praise and glory to God for this because he answered our prayer and provided a miracle for Nate and I. It may seem like a small miracle, but nonetheless, it is still a miracle.

So, I want to challenge you to look for everyday miracles in your own life. If you take the time to look for God's hand in your life, you will find it. God bless!

Bitter Sweet Exhaustion!

Over the past few years I have enjoyed exercising; especially after noticing how it has improved my health. I haven't roller bladed for years, and today I decided to try it again since it was a gorgeous spring day. Before I dive into this bitter sweet exhaustion, let me give you some history . . .

I had a cold almost the entire month of April (not good for someone with CF). On April 17th, after 4 days of having a fever of 101 degrees, I finally called my doctor. To no surprise to me, he wanted me to drive to Bismarck that day and be admitted for what we all thought would be a regular "tune-up." (I had stayed out of the hospital for 2 years and was hoping to beat my all time record of 11 years, and now have to start over. But that's another story . . .)

What did surprise me once I got there, is that I had pneumonia!

I haven't had that since I was a baby - I've gone 26 years without getting it and now all of a sudden, boom, there it is. So, the doctor pumped me up with IV meds and sent me home sooner than I had thought at only 5 days later. His instructions to me were to get lots of rest, finish my inhaled and oral antibiotics, and start exercising again.

Well, it is almost one month later and I am feeling better, but still more tired than normal. So, I rest when I need to (this is very difficult for me to do!) The exercising part has been a little more difficult too. I've tried returning to my regular schedule of yoga, budakon, weights, and walking on the treadmill again, but I just can't seem to get back into the swing of things.

Today, was a different story. It was a beautiful, sunny day in Fargo, and I decided to put on my rusty old roller blades (seriously - I need new ones) and go roller blading for a half hour. A little too ambitious I would say!

Twenty minutes into it, I became huffing and puffing so much that I contemplated calling Nate to come pick me up; I was only 4 blocks away from returning home! A few kids on their bikes passed me and looked at me as though they couldn't decide whether to pity me or be disgusted that I was making them slow down too.

I finally pushed myself and made it home, sweaty and exhausted to the max. I stumbled into the house and sprawled across the floor panting and sweating. Then I noticed I was wheezing just a tad so I decided to do a treatment, and now I'm just sitting here blogging.

All I can say about this adventure is that I'm glad I did it, even though it really challenged me. I just wish I was back to the strength I had a few months ago so I wouldn't look like such a wimp to the kids passing me on their bikes!

Standing in the Storms

Inside my body grows an insidious, incurable disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Most people might look at God and blame him for this lifestyle that I have to live. As a Christian, I view it differently. I believe that God has allowed me to walk this path in order to glorify him and grow in my relationship with him. I am very blessed to be healthy and normal 90% of the time; but what about the other 10%? Some days are very gray and difficult to get through. There have been days where I haven’t had the strength to even get out of bed. Trusting God doesn’t always come easily on those days, but I have learned to dig deep and trust in him with every ounce of my being.

We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

How do I give thanks in those moments when I am weak and ill? How do I give thanks when I end up in the hospital again and I feel defeated by this malady, overcome with coughing, a fever, loneliness, weariness, and that exhausting feeling that this could be the beginning of the end? How do I trust God in these circumstances and apply his commands to my life?

I start by trusting that God works for the good of those who love him . . . in every situation (Romans 8:28), and by believing that he who began a good work in me, will complete it (Philippians 1:6). I remember that when I am weak, God’s strength shines through and his grace will be sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

I trust God and give thanks by knowing that he is here with me. Even in the wind, God is here. A few months ago, while vacationing in Hawaii, I was struck with a revelation. I was frustrated one day with how windy it was. Everywhere I went, it was windy. All I wanted to do was sit in the sun and enjoy the Hawaiian scenery and get a tan, but it was so windy that this desire became difficult and I was frustrated. While staring at the ocean and venting my frustrations to God, I felt him tell me that he was still there, even in the wind. He reminded me that even the wind had a purpose. God whispered in my ear that wind had a way of moving things and uncovering beauty beneath the surface that would have otherwise been undiscovered.

When I have windy days that seem to be filled with endless suffering and darkness, I can remember to be thankful because I know that when the wind is gone, a new beauty will be exposed. I can be thankful for the storms in my life because God is carrying me through them. I will not be easily moved; I will continue to trust in God knowing that he has called me to stand firm and let nothing move me (1 Corinthians 15:58). I can face the storms of life with confidence, knowing that I serve a God that I can trust, and I will stand firm!

(c) 2008 Mandy Anderson

Helium Article - Reflections

I recently joined an online freelance writing organization called Helium. I look forward to providing you with teasers of my work every week. I hope you enjoy this piece!

Title: Fixed Thoughts

I can almost hear the crashing of the waves on the sand and the wind blowing through the palm trees. If I sit here long enough . . . I can almost hear it. Maybe I can find my way back if I stay here, in the dark, staring at the trinkets and memories of days gone by. Maybe . . . it might work.

What is so soothing about this? What is so enticing about sitting in my living room, in the dark, with the only light coming from my china hutch and a small tea light on the end table? I know what it is. It’s the idea of it. It’s the notion that when I stare at the butch grass pots and the sand filled vases showcased in my hutch, I feel like I am still there, only inside instead of out by the ocean. It’s the feeling that I get from the tea light hidden behind a vase filled with rocks; almost like . . . like my own little piece of an enchanting island . . . an island that is thousands and thousands of miles away. Maybe if I sit here for the rest of my days, my memory will overcome the present and I will actually be there.

But why would I want to do that?

Please go to http://www.helium.com/items/1031090-almost-crashing-waves-blowing to finish reading this article.

Girls Weekend with 4 Ever Friends

This weekend I was blessed to spend time with my best friends since 5th grade. We met at Bible Camp and have never lived in the same town, but God has blessed us with an amazing friendship! It is so uplifting to have friends that know you so well and will encourage and pray for you when needed.

To my 4 Ever Friends: "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." Ephesians 1:16

Now that we are married and living in different cities and states, we cherish these moments when we can get away and celebrate our friendship! This weekend we caught up on each other's lives and took some time to relax and pamper ourselves with a much needed pedicure and a chic flick - ahh . . . the joy's of being a girl!

Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk

Here's a little history on my life:

I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when I was 6 months old. I take treatments every morning and night and I also take pills whenever I eat something so that I can digest my food. All praise goes to God for my health, because I live a very normal life and I stay pretty healthy even though I have this disease. When I speak in public, I usually share my story of living with CF to show people that it is possible to overcome obstacles in life and accomplish everything you dreamed of and more. I am living proof! I'm sure I'll share more with you as time goes by, but for now I want to take this time to inform you of an upcoming fundraising opportunity in the Fargo Moorhead Area.

The annual CF Great Strides walk is this Saturday, May 3rd at Oak Grove Park (9:00 AM). Great Strides is a fundraiser that raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for medical research in hopes of finding a cure for CF. I am excited to walk in it this year and I feel priveleged to also write a story on the walk for an upcoming issue of Area Woman Magazine.

Over 30,000 people in the United States alone have Cystic Fibrosis. The Great Strides walk takes place nation wide and brought in over $34 million dollars in 2007. For more information on Cystic Fibrosis or the Great Strides walk, go to http://www.cff.org/great_strides/

Creative Elements Marketing

As the owner of Creative Elements Marketing, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to introduce you to my company.

Creative Elements Marketing is a marketing and advertising agency located in West Fargo, North Dakota. We are different because we realize that marketing is not just accomplished externally, but internally as well. We focus on giving our clients the marketing solutions that they need, along with contact management skills that help boost them to the top of their game.

We have many years of experience in marketing, planning and consulting for a plethora of diverse business industries. Our services include marketing strategy development, contact management and greeting cards, marketing and customer service assessment, image development and corporate branding, and presentation development. If you need help with marketing or contact management, give us a call or email us. We'll be more than happy to help!

Visit our website at http://www.creativeelementsinc.com/ to find out more information and hear what our clients have to say about us!

This Is Me

Allow me to introduce myself. I am a self proclaimed “natural born planner” and an ambitious woman. At the age of 19, I recorded an independently released CD where I wrote eight of the nine songs.

I stay very busy as a business owner, singer, songwriter, freelance writer and a public speaker, encouraging people that they can overcome their obstacles and accomplish all of their lifelong dreams! As the owner of Creative Elements Marketing, I provide marketing strategy development, contact management, image & presentation development, branding and advertising services for businesses and non-profit organizations. In my free time, I volunteer as the Women’s Events Coordinator at my church, First Assembly, where I also sing.

I live in West Fargo with my wonderful husband, Nate, and our shih tzu, Ajah.